Untarnished Revelations
by perfect oblivion
Summary: In a world where the king of Nohr never became a monster, Corrin must choose between his family by blood, or his family by bond. Refusing to take a side, Corrin must unite the two kingdoms to face a foe bent on the world's demise. But how can such a foe be fought, when none can speak the name of the kingdom he rules. Before the skies switch, the abyss must be breached.


**A/N: Okay, before we get started, I need to explain some things. The grandiose thing about this story is that it is going to take the story of Fates and warp it into something, hopefully, better than the canon story. Nohr and Hoshido are going to be given actual world building, though in the image I see them as, so there's quite a bit of personal opinion to it. However, the most striking change I'm making is that King Garon is not, I repeat, not a bad guy in this fiction. This, and many other changes will be present in the storyline, so brace yourselves for that. To get an idea of how this fic is going to play out, watch BlazingKnight's rant on youtube of how he would change the plot of Fates. I'm going to be using a few things in there that I agree on. Also, there will be a few changes here and there regarding other characters, so be mindful of that. Anyway, I've taken enough time, so on with the story.**

 **Prologue: A Fate Forged Anew**

Nohr. The land of eternal dusk, the black kingdom, and many other titles besides. Nohr was a land of hardship and struggle, the denizens fighting tooth and nail in a daily battle against the harsh landscape called home. Sunlight barely shone in the kingdom, its rays enfeebled by the constant thick cloud cover, shrouding the land in a veil of dimness. This, combined with the extremely poor soil quality of mountainous tundra, made Nohr an agricultural nightmare. Only the hardiest of plants and animals had a remote chance in the near desolate lands comprising the dark kingdom. One would think such a land could not hope to host any thriving settlement of humanity let alone an entire kingdom, but the Nohrians were not a people who simply gave up in times of hardship. Nohrians were survivors, taking a massive stretch of tundra and turning it into a livable, functioning kingdom with nothing but their grit, sweat, and pure unyielding determination. Crops of the hardiest grains, vegetables, and fruits were cultivated continuously, becoming the staples on many a table. Livestock of sheep, goats, and cattle were selectively bred over the course of generations to become massive providers of meat, dairy, and clothing. Nohr boasted the most durable cotton known to the continent, and hosted the strongest and largest breeds of freshwater fish. Yet despite this, Nohr was still a harsh and unforgiving land. Crops, despite their hardiness, could easily fail. Horrendously arctic winters could decimate entire herds of livestock overnight. And even the sturdiest and warmest clothing could not fully abate the cold, and the sicknesses brought with it.

Yet, despite such terrible odds, the Nohrian people continued to carve their existence with relentless tenacity. Nohrians understood that only through total cooperation and reliance upon their fellow men could they thrive, and thus took the meaning of tight-knit community to the highest extreme. Fields were tended en masse, flocks and herds were shepherded in one big conglomeration, and all amongst the populace were treated with the same love and care denoted to family, regardless of relation. This way of life soon became the defining feature of Nohrian culture. Nohrian communities no longer referred to themselves as a village or town, but rather a family. Men were expected not to provide solely for their individual households, but for the entire family. Women weren't just cooking, cleaning, and tending to their own husbands and children, but were there to support everyone in the larger family. Plural marriage, taboo the world over, was a concept embraced and readily practiced by the Nohrian families; the reasons two-fold. Firstly, as the old saying held, 'many hands made light work'. None knew the value of large groups tending the fields and herds like the Nohrians. The more helping hands, the bigger the herds and fields could get, thus the more food the family could grow, and the greater the odds of survival. Secondly, large amounts of children, no matter how daunting to feed, meant that there was a greater chance of the next generation surviving through brutal winters and hungry summers, thus was everything in the family's power done to ensure the survival of their children. If a mother for whatever reason could not nurse her baby, another woman would without the slightest hesitation let the child suckle from her as if it were her own. From necessity, these things became law. from law, it became unspoken rule. From unspoken rule, it became tradition. And from tradition, it became normalcy.

Though agriculturally the Nohrians fought with all their might for survival, they had little want industrially. The mountains of Nohr contained vast mineral wealth, industrial and precious metal ores leaving the mines in unending chains of carts. The hills and highlands were rife with dense and sturdy stone, the quarries shipping slabs by the tonne. The riverbanks yielded tremendous amounts of clay, the masons creating vast stacks of bricks daily. It was with these materials that Nohrian art flourished. Beautiful works of metal, from decorative armour to ornamental weaponry, could be found in every wealthy household. Statues and busts of kings and queens past decorated the cities. The finest of clay sculptures and pots were haggled throughout Nohr's markets and auction houses, even peasant households hosting large collections of practical pottery. The houses and buildings of Nohr were sturdy and thick, capable of keeping out the screaming winds of the most furious of blizzards. Fortresses and keeps built by Nohr were the envy of all other nations as some of the most resilient fortifications ever laid siege to. Castle Krakenburg was considered the greatest marvel of engineering known to man, the entire castle suspended within an extremely deep crater in the center of their capital of Windmire. In comparison to the rest of the world, Nohr's industrial might was unparalleled.

But it was in their military where Nohr held the most renown, for despite everything they did to survive on their own power, hardship demanded the kingdom turn to conquest to gain most their food and resources. Nohrian armies were as tight knit as their communities, each comrade in arms a sibling. Encampment tents were made to house entire regiments instead of individuals, and the cots designed to link together to fit as many as possible within the tents. Within the ranks of their companies, the soldiers of Nohr became each other's family away from family. They would train together, eat together, laugh together, weep together, bleed together, and die together. This state of companionship allowed regiments to be extremely flexible on the battlefield, each soldier acutely aware of how to best support and protect their siblings to the point where the enemy believed the soldiers capable of mind reading. Nohrian tactics involved lightning fast strikes to critical points within the enemy army, causing an inevitable collapse, followed up by powerful hammer and anvil tactics. To add a psychological component to their strategies, Nohrian battle armour was outfitted with vivid images of skulls, demonic horns, and screaming faces, so to intimidate and terrify the opposition into routing. Once a nation was conquered, it was immediately garrisoned, and the Nohrian way of life slowly introduced until the previous culture was fully integrated into Nohr proper.

All in all, to be Nohrian was to be a survivor. To be Nohrian was to be a warrior. Most importantly, to be Nohrian was to be a family. For the glory of Nohr.

…

Hoshido. The land of everlasting light, the white kingdom, and many other titles besides. Hoshido was a land of tranquility and prosperity, the climate and geography allowing the nation to teem with life. The sun shone with warmth and vibrancy, giving colour and beauty to the land it touched. This, combined with the temperate climate, regular rainfall, and rich soil, made Hoshido into an agricultural superpower. Fruits and vegetables of all kinds were grown in massive amounts. Various beans and lentils, leafy vegetables, exotic fruits, and many others were grown. However, the seasons could be a little too wet to effectively grow much in the way of grain, so rice was the staple in that regard. Also, due to the constant overabundance of crops, Hoshidans had little need for livestock, thus their primary source of meat was the abundance of saltwater fish on the coasts. In this bountiful paradise, the Hoshidan people were moulded into a lifestyle of separation. Serf families tilled the land and gave rise to the crops. The bounties were then in turn given to the nobles who owned their lands, who in turn paid tribute to the daimyo whom they served. Thus, did this life of master and servant shape the culture of Hoshido, forming them into a people of honour, tradition, and ancestry.

A Hoshidan would strive to live his life with honour and integrity. A farmer would tend his crops with the same devotion a samurai would serve his lord, and a merchant would sell his wares with honesty and quality. Nobility would pay respect and homage to their ancestors, prayers and meditations offered up before a weapon or relic passed down through the family since the beginning. In Hoshido, no greater honour was there than the honour to serve; the masses serving the daimyo, and the daimyo serving his charges. But there were other things the Hoshidans served besides their leaders. Monks and Mikos tended the shrines and temples dedicated to their great deity and patron guardian spirits. Such was their faith in these guardians that through their sheer belief, those blessed with arcane divination were able to summon magical avatars to aid in battle and prophecy. Thus, were Hoshidans a very religious people compared to other nations. Even those of military prowess dedicated their servitude for their home and kingdom. In no other warrior was this best embodied than the samurai. Samurai dedicated themselves to their chosen weapon, and to the lord they served. Should a samurai ever tarnish his honour, he would run himself through with his own blade in atonement. From these teachings and values, law was established. And from the practice of this law over the course of generations, it became tradition and lifestyle.

Though agriculturally the Hoshidans flourished, they lacked in the more industrious resources. Though Hoshido was rife with good stone and much wood, industrial metals were harder to come by. Common metals needed to be alloyed to be stretched enough for weapon craft, and metals like iron were even rarer. Thus, forging techniques and weapon designs were implemented to utilize as little metal as possible whilst still producing an effective weapon. Most buildings of Hoshido were constructed from wood, with stone foundations and supports. Furniture however, was almost non-existent. Beds were simple rolls spread upon the floor. Tables barely rose above the floor, a collection of mats serving as a place to kneel whilst dining upon it. However, Hoshido was home to some of the most unique architecture on the continent. Also, with access to many plant-based dyes, Hoshidan art was among the finest known. Delicate ceramics, painted in wondrous patterns, or decorated with images that seemed to leap off their bases, adorned many a noble household. Rich oil paintings adorned castle interiors, and sacred calligraphies were hung upon temple walls. Even meals became works of art, presented in more and more glamourous a manner every generation.

Although Hoshido valued peace, and preferred to never interfere in the affairs of other nations, sometimes war was brought to their doorstep regardless. The Hoshidan army was one of discipline and tradition. Hoshidan soldiers followed a strict warrior code known as Bushido. The tenants of the code emphasized honor to one's home and lord, and to die in service to the army was considered a high honour. With this warrior code, Hoshidan soldiers trained in their weapons with absolute fervor, and were utterly fearless on the field of battle. Hoshidans battle tactics varied with every engagement. First, forward scouts of shinobi would gather information on the approaching force, before relaying it to their general and strategist, who would then deploy the most effective units on the battlefield. With this method, the Hoshidan army was like a puzzle. Complete, it was a force to be reckoned with, but if a piece was missing or unsuited to the situation, the army's strength would vastly weaken.

All in all, to be Hoshidan was to dedicate one's life into service. Service to one's lord, service to one's faith, service to one's country. For the glory of Hoshido.

So, thou would wish to know more of these great nations. Then allow for me to spin for thee a yarn. A tale of two kingdoms, one of dawn, one of dusk. As different as day and night, and yet the same as the sky the sun and moon sit within. Join with me, in this prayer of birthrights and love, this tale of conquest and lies, and the storm of fate binding them in the depths of the abyss. And thus, our story begins in the darkness of Nohr, many years ago.

…..

 **A/N:**

 **So, as you've all read, this prologue is just to get the world started up. Also, it shows some changes to characters and situations if you look hard enough. Many changes involving this world will be explained in greater detail later on throughout the story. But enough of that. How did you all like this so far? Like it/Love it/Hate it? R &R please.**


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